Overview

Chandigarh University announced the launch of the Central Innovation & Incubation Hub (C‑Hub), branded as an “Incubator of Incubators,” during a four‑day National Incubator & Capital Summit (ISBACON 2026) held in Chandigarh on 9‑12 October 2026. The summit brought together more than 400 incubator institutions from over 20 Indian states and union territories, alongside 100 startup teams, 80 early‑stage investors and more than 60 delegates from government, policy and industry backgrounds.

Summit Highlights

The event featured keynote addresses, panel discussions and master‑classes covering entrepreneurship, networked incubation, deep‑tech, and startup financing. Notable speakers included Rikant Pitte, Founder & CEO of EaseMyTrip; Yoav Fekete, Innovation Attaché at the Embassy of Israel; Prasad Menon, President of ISBA; Raghavendra, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT); and senior officials from the Punjab government, BIRAC, SBI Ventures, IIMA Ventures and Microsoft’s UNNATI AI 2.0 Roadshow. The programme also incorporated a Startup Expo, incubator exchange, policy roundtables, investor meetings, a Demo Day and industry engagement sessions.

C‑Hub Launch

The C‑Hub was inaugurated by Minister of State for Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship, Sports, Law & Legislative, Haryana, Gaurav Gautam, together with Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University. The hub is designed to connect incubators and startup support institutions across the country, enabling shared cohorts, mentors, infrastructure and investor partnerships, thereby expanding early‑stage capital access and market opportunities for startups nationwide.

Partnerships & MoUs

Chandigarh University announced a co‑incubation framework allowing partner incubators to collaborate with CU‑TBI through shared cohorts, mentors and facilities. The university also signed memoranda of understanding with 100 leading incubators across India to establish joint cohorts and co‑incubation programmes, creating structured channels for venture capital firms to engage with CU‑incubated ventures.

National Centres of Excellence

CU‑TBI mapped 51 National Centres of Excellence for collaboration, comprising 35 academic institutions, 14 government research bodies, one industry‑academia partnership and one non‑profit research institute. These centres are hosted at premier institutions such as IISc, IITs, IIM Ahmedabad, STPI, NIELIT, ICMR and CSIR, covering domains like quantum technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, chip design, healthcare, materials, defence and financial markets.

Institutional Profile

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+‑graded and QS World‑ranked private university located near Chandigarh, Punjab. It is approved by the UGC and offers more than 109 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce and other fields. The university has been recognised as “The University with Best Placements” by the World Corporate Roundtable (WCRC).

Indian Startup Ecosystem Context

During the summit, the Chancellor highlighted that India now hosts approximately 2.25 lakh (225,000) startups and over 125 unicorns, underscoring the need to shift focus from sheer numbers to quality, sustainability and global competitiveness. The Minister reiterated the government’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat 2047,” emphasizing the role of youth, digital technology and entrepreneurship in achieving a developed‑nation status by 2047.

Key Quotes

  • Gaurav Gautam emphasized that Indian youth must realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047, leveraging startups, digital technology and new platforms.
  • Satnam Singh Sandhu stressed that while the number of startups is large, profitability and product quality are essential for long‑term sustainability.
  • Yoav Fekete highlighted opportunities for bio‑based eco‑responsible packaging using agricultural residues in Punjab, proposing Indo‑Israeli collaboration.
  • Prasad Menon noted the diversity of incubators across India and the importance of regional reach for the incubator movement.

Conclusion

The summit and the launch of C‑Hub represent a coordinated effort to strengthen India’s early‑stage investment landscape, foster co‑incubation, and build a national network of innovation hubs that can accelerate startup growth and enhance India’s position in the global technology ecosystem.